Losing weight has always been tough for me. It's even tougher for me now that I'm in my 40s. However, I made a resolution for 2010, and with diet and exercise, I've managed to lose 35 pounds.

I've managed to lose weight through grit and determination. The problem is, I am always hungry and my appetite is ravenous, difficult to satisfy. I want to eat until I'm full EVERY TIME I eat. If it wasn't for force of will, I would continue to eat and pack the pounds back on.

Is there anything I can do to fight the hunger? I try to snack on things that are healthy, but it seems no matter what I snack on, I get penalized with putting weight back on. I worry that if the only thing I have going for me is grit and determination, that might not be enough to stay in the fight.

Expert answer

Hi, Jeff! This is a common question. Hunger is a battle for many people who are trying to lose weight or have lost weight and are trying to maintain their weight.

Once you form and fill fat cells, the body has a well-designed system to maintain them, so hunger and weight regain are common. Hunger is particularly complicated, as it relies on numerous systems throughout the body including the brain, stomach and gut.

The science of satiety, or fullness, is a constantly growing field (along with our waistlines, unfortunately). There are a few things that have been proven to control hunger better and help you eat fewer calories without necessarily compromising the volume of food.

Fullness begins with the act of chewing, so solid calories tend to be more filling than liquid calories. A study presented by a well-known researcher in this field, Dr. Barbara Rolls, showed that an apple is more filling than apple sauce, which is more filling than apple juice.

Why? Because solid food requires chewing, thereby beginning the process of digestion and the release of digestive enzymes that begin to trigger fullness. It simply slows down the process of caloric consumption because it takes longer to chew an apple than to guzzle a 6-ounce glass of apple juice. In addition, an apple contains fiber, which has added benefits (see below).

So make sure the majority of your calories come from solid food, and limit sugary beverages and alcohol, which contain empty calories, and even juice, coffee drinks, shakes and smoothies if you don't find them as satisfying.

The one exception that you should include in your diet is noncream-based soups, which Rolls and others have shown can decrease calories significantly when consumed before a meal.

While liquid calories in beverage form are less satisfying, eating water-rich foods like fruits, vegetables, and low-fat or fat-free dairy can help you eat fewer calories without cutting serving sizes. Try diluting calories in everything you eat by adding vegetables, fruit or fat-free dairy.

Examples including adding vegetables to pasta dishes and casseroles, topping frozen yogurt with fresh fruit, and making sauces or dressings with fat-free dairy instead of cream or oil.

Fiber, especially water-soluble fiber, may play an especially important role in feeling full, as it forms a gel with water in your stomach that slows the emptying of food from the stomach; slows the absorption of blood sugar, which also prevents the rapid drop that can lead to hunger; and allows the food to have more contact with the intestinal wall, which may help with the release of fullness hormones.

Good sources of soluble fiber include oats, beans, barley, apples, strawberries, carrots, onions, sweet potatoes, grapes, oranges, peaches, pears, plums and prunes. Insoluble fiber can also be useful, as it takes longer to chew and is bulky, so it causes physical distension of the stomach without providing significant calories.

Good sources of insoluble fiber include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. Be wary of products with added fiber as it is unclear whether added fiber has any effect on fullness or blood sugar stability and it does not provide added bulk in most cases.

Finally, lean protein is an essential component of fullness and weight maintenance, as it triggers the release of fullness hormones and can help keep blood sugar stable, thereby controlling hunger. I encourage my patients to try to eat some form of lean protein with every meal and snack if they struggle with hunger.

Good sources include skinless poultry, fish, lean red meat, low-fat or fat-free dairy, eggs/egg whites, and if you are on the go, protein bars without too much sugar or fat.

Congratulations on losing 35 pounds, and I hope some of my suggestions can help you keep the weight off for good!

soundoff(88 Responses)

exdiabetic

I have lost 125 pounds. What have I learned? That lean protein is essential to controlling hunger. I am never hungry or tired on my diet. I have half of my 100 gm protein daily in the form of whey protein. A shake in the morning, and a protein drink in the afternoon means I am never hungry. I eat lunch and dinner with a balanced protein and carb diet. That means never having carbs by themselves, because that is what stimulates hunger. The same carbs, when eaten with protein, will not produce the blood sugar spike that having carbs by themselves does. The blood sugar spike from carbs by themselves is followed by a blood sugar crash, making you want to reach for more carbs by themselves. So most people who need to lose weight will need to learn to always have equal grams of protein with their carbs. Then you will never be hungry on your diet.

Very well put. Carbs should always be with protein. The carbs help deliver the protein to the muscles and the protein helps slow down the absorption into the blood.

Great tip: Very quickly after a hard workout, combine your protein with high-sugar fruits (preferably as a shake). Avoid fiber and fat as these will slow down digestion and your bodies ability to replenish ravished glycogen levels and to shuttle the much-needed protein to the muscles.

Water. I've been working out and eating as healthy as possible and find myself feeling ravenous – I mean absolutely insatiable (3 to 4 days a week). I always thought I was drinking enough water, but I added about 30 to 40 oz throughout the day and my ravenous day count dropped to 0 or 1 day per week.

That is very true. I've noticed many times, when I feel "munchy" that I'm really thirsty. I'm not a big water fan, so I try to drink a gallon of tea/teas a day. Sugar-free, of course. (I say tea/teas because I brew a gallon of plain black tea or peppermint green tea on the weekends; during the week, I brew individual pints of tea to take with me.) This has helped me keep off about 60 pounds I lost three years ago.

You do have to learn your body's cues, too. I have learned the difference between truly hungry (I get tired and cranky, and I might get a headache), munchy/thirsty (I just want to eat everything in sight), and emotional eating (I am bored or angry, and I want a specific food). So this means different strategies: hungry: I eat a piece of fruit or some veggies; munchy: I drink something and wait 15 minutes before I eat; emotional: deal with the feeling or distract myself some other way.

I agree. I've recently started trying to shed my "winter 15" and have made it a habit to drink at least 3 glasses of water right before taking my first bite of a meal, and then grabbing another few glasses between meals whenever I get the urge to eat something.

Also, I found working through a meal (I'm at a computer) is enough of a distraction to reduce food intake slightly. If you do this don't forget to regularly clean your keyboard.

I had this problem while on a diet to lose my pregnancy weight. I think it is because you're on a diet and you're constantly thinking about food (and anyone who has been on a diet can probably agree with that). After a month of that, I gave up on it. The thought occurred to me that maybe I didn't even realize when I was hungry or how much it really required to fill myself up since my eating was so screwed up from pregnancy. One day I decided to wait and trust my body to tell me when it was hungry, what it was actually hungry for (not the chocolate fantasy my mind was plotting as an escape) and then when I was hungry without any shadow of a doubt (my stomach literally was growling), I ate slowly, chewing fully each bite – tasting everything. You'd be amazed at what truly tastes good when eating this way. Fast food tastes pretty horrible when you're really focusing on each mouthful. I found that my body really only wanted to eat 3-4 times a day and only small, healthy meals. Actually less than when I was on a diet. There are several books out there that talk about eating mindfully and I highly suggest anyone fed up with dieting try this out. We are so completely out of touch with our bodies that we may not even know how much IS enough.

Katie, thank you so much!!!! You are the first person I've noticed to say this. I've been preaching this for the last year &1/5. I read a book called Health at Every Size that talks about that very subject, that your body has an almost perfect weight regulation system and that we just need to allow it to work. Once I started listening to my body cues and really really focusing on what I was eating, everything changed! I've lost close to 50 lbs so far, I feel fantastic and I'm not hungry or jonesing for food at all. Now its not about looking good, but being healthy – thats the ultimate goal. Again, thank you! Its really nice to see someone on the same page đź™‚

Liz, people are obsessed with the shape of bodies way too much. Christian missions are rescuing humanity at its neediest. Hearing their reports blows away our own sorrows, praying and helping in any way always do true good both to our mind and body. We are having collective troubles because of the greed for ourselves anyway.

Liz, I'm one of those who were fed and rescued by American Christian missions. You must be another ignorant secular American who remembers nothing about the American missionaries' massive contribution in the world.

@Melissa, Cleaning is a good exercise usually neglected and forgotten.
@Angie, Christian missionaries' agenda is the best and purest – salvation of another. Read some missionary biographies or go to needy countries with them.

Why does charity have to come with the price tag of "soul salvation"? Why can't people give to those in need out of compassion and goodness of heart? Christian missionaries may do some good in the world; but not everyone in the world needs "salvation" and a Christian way of life. Hungry people are hungry people; as humans, we should take care of each other without expecting religious conversion.

Just curious, as you present an idiotology of no relevance to the discussion. I bet that you are a genuine LARD*** as well – thank God for you, Justina, you keep Coke, Hostess, General Mills, and all the others in business.

I am 44 years old and have been on a diet since I am 13 years old. My mom is a dietician. I live and am healthy . I know everything there is to know about food and exercise. Here is my conclusion: if you have the "fat gene" you will fight it for the rest of your live (as does my mom, my kids, my husband and almost all other relatives), if you start your very first diet you will be on one for the rest of your live, I need extremely little food to survive, to lose weight through exercise alone is impossible but sleep (lots of it) can help control weight. Welcome in my world, Jeff!

First, if you haven't done so already, the first thing you need to do is make sure you don't have a metabolic condition such as hypothyroidism.

Second, if you've done that already, then stop thinking of yourself as "being on a diet." That kind of thinking just makes you feel deprived. Think of it as a way of life, your choice.

Third, if you truly have a "fat gene," you may need to adjust your thinking about a desirable body weight. Your body may be happier at a heavier weight than most people of your height and bone structure. If you have an "extra" ten or even twenty pounds but your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar are normal, you should probably just accept that.

Fourth, kudos to you for recognizing the importance of vitamin S! I always eat more if I don't get 7 or 8 hours a night.

I agree about eating higher quality food. It seems like eating processed food is the same concept as drinking apple juice vs eating an apple. I feel hungry again far too fast when I eat processed foods as opposed to when I eat high quality foods. It's too bad that fast food is so over processed and much easier to get than whole quality foods. My new years resolution this year has been to bring my lunch because I have more control over of the quality of the food I eat that way. It seems to be helping me lose weight without feeling overly hungry.

I Drink on average 64 oz of water while at my desk. this fills me up and I eat a lot less during the day. I love bananas and strawberries. but don't over do it, because they contain a ton of sugar. you just have to be discpline and don't eat after 7 pm.

I've tried every diet and I've lost over 30 pounds twice. I was always fighting hunger whether I exercised or not. I did lose weight. But the last holdout was Nutrisystem. because my wife said it had more chemicals and preservatives. I finally tried it. I'm only on it a month so this is not scientific. But I always feel full. In fact I sometimes have to force myself to eat the full list. I am astonished. My wife thinks I must be doing something wrong. But I'm following the darn plan every step of the way. I've lost about 10 pounds and a belt cinch. Go figure.

Doug - I too tried nutrisysem and was able to drop 40+ lbs. The problem I had is that I continually ordered a vegetarian diet and they would still send me a basic assortment package each month. after 4 mosths of this I finally suspended my Nutrisystem account.
I have continued to lose weight and as of today have dropped 86lbs. I do this mostly by consuming huge amounts of water and eating primarily fruits and vegetables.
Best of luck to all who struggle with this issue.

Doug- I too have tried Nutrisystem. In fact, I just started my second round of it. I lost all 30lbs of my pregnancy weight plus ten lbs the first time I did it (for two months) with plenty of exercise. Now that I am done nursing my second baby, I am giving it another shot based on my success last time. I NEVER feel hungry either. The food isn't gourmet, but it is pretty good for what it is. I think what it teaches us is portion control (Americans are notoriously bad at this), and to fill up on fruits and veggies. I like being accountable to my little list everyday and I know I am going to be around for a long time to see my kids grow up because I am taking steps to take better care of myself. I guess the major question is: Is that dessert/buttermilk dressing/buttered roll/ candy, etc. worth your life? I would give every piece of chocolate I have ever eaten back if it means I get to spend just one more day with my family! Congrats on your weight loss & keep up the good work!

Read "Why We Get Fat" by Gary Taubes. He will explain why vigorous exercise coupled with calorie reduction is a recipe for weight loss failure – you're always hungry!!! It's darn near impossible to maintain a semi-starvation diet long-term. Add high quality fats to your diet (not trans fat); don't worry about how much and cut out sugar and drastically cut your carbs. Have been doing this for over a year and lost 30 lbs. I have no idea how many calories I eat and I NEVER go hungry.

I quit eating sugar, flour and most fruits...started eating more protein and fats. (a lot more fats). Lost my constant hunger and 10 pounds in one month. For all you yo-yo dieters out there try watchting FatHead the movie. Very informative!

This expert is so full of it. Eating an apple is like eating grass most of the time. Do you get less hungry when you eat that? Apparently he's not real up on how a lot of fat people's problems are. Most of them don't get satiation from straight carbs. It has to be fat and carbs, or protein or a mixture. And you are still hungry even if you eat a lot of bulk.

People don't respond the same way to food, so you can't give advice to other people for what works for you. Big problem with diet advice.

Did you read the whole article? The last couple of paragraphs talk about the importance of lean protein. She's generally advocating a Volumetrics approach to the problem. I agree that Dr. Jampolis could have put some more concrete suggestions for healthy, satisfying snacks in her article.

In the last 10 years the incredible significance of a hormone called leptin has gradually been realized but not fully embraced by the medical community and outright challenged by bug-pharma and processed food industries. A condition called leptin RESISTANCE has been confirmed to directly cause and lock-in weight gain – weight that cannot be lost through most dieting and exercise regimens. Leptin resistance correlates with the (diet based) causes of chronic inflammation and a grass protein called lectin found in all grain-seed based foods, especially processed foods. I strongly suggest anyone really determined to get healthy and lose weight, research leptin resistance and inflammation. Simply reducing specific unhealthy food sources, adding specific healthy foods and the timing of eating and excercise can have dramatic, permanent improvement effects on your weight and health. This is life changing information.

WRONG –
Simply increasing calorie expenditure and decreasing calorie intake will only work for a few days or weeks – if you're under 30 it might work for a few months or more. But eventually, your brain will interpret the sustained low blood sugar level as imminent starvation and immediately lower your metabolism and immune function and shuttle all available calories (glycogen and fatty acids) to your fat cells. This is PRECISELY why the millions of people who do what you are suggesting feel miserable, are constantly hungry and have dozens of health problems. In order to make your metabolic system work correctly to lose weight AND be healthy you need to exercise and eat the right foods at the right times, but most importantly you need to eliminate the foods that over time will screw up your hormone signaling and receptor system. That means no processed carbs, no hydrogenated fats, no fructose corn syrup, etc. If you stick to stuff a caveman would eat (foods we evolved to eat – the Paleo diet – lean protein, fruits, vegetables, nuts) then you might actually have a chance to permanently lose weight. Do the research

I've lost over 60 pounds in the past six months. I'm not eating a "caveman diet"; I'm just eating LESS, and due to my cholesterol, low fat. I have more energy than I did before, and I'm steadily losing weight. If you take in fewer calories than you expend, you'll lose weight; if you take in more, you'll gain weight.

ANY diet based on either worshiping or demonizing some type of food is a fad.

@knowledge you are wrong, you can lose weight my reducing calorie intake and working out with out being miserable. I did it. I lost 80lbs and kept it off (till I got preggo) and was never miserable, in part, because I felt better and that made it easier. I recently popped out two kids and have maybe 15 lbs to lose, and honestly, to support what you said, I am following a slightly modified paleo diet (I eat some cheese, love my cheese...) and I feel better than I have in years and the weight is dripping off.

Make your salads with "things". Cut up meat like chicken, ham or beef roast on the salad. Chopped eggs, veggies, and strawberries really make salads pop. Make your OWN salad dressing, use sour cream and blue cheese or other low carb ingredients. Top with finely chopped nuts.

I started by swearing off restaurants, too much food, too many carbs and hidden carbs. I put everything I was going to eat that day on a single plate (pretty well same stuff each day) and each day I took stuff off until I started losing weight. I was amazed at how little I need to eat to even maintain my weight much less lose. It is both the size of the portion and cutting out all carbs except berries and non starchy veggies and had to cut back on amount of proteins too. I also prerecord anything I am watching on TV and zap thru the commercials so I dont have to see "food". Surprisingly, I love watching Top Chef in all its incarnatioÂ­ns but have no yen to make or eat that stuff. I am really amazed too how a single bite of something I dont eat like "carby" can be enough and not make me want the whole thing. Somebody once said "the first bite lingers just as long in the mouth as the last bite". It is true. My DH is good, we cleaned all the carbs out of the house and he hides any that he does bring in. Out of sight, out of mind.â€ť

Every American and every non-American is beautiful and wonderful. It's all about perception, cognition, awareness of your true Being. If you can't stop eating there is most likely a deeper trauma that makes you act out in a certain dysfunctional way. And if that is the case you have to work with the soul, not with the body. Practice to enhance your awareness through meditation. If you learn to connect with your higher Being, all traumas wash away and then the body manifests balance, health and beauty. But meditation is hard for us westerners. Try to empty the mind by focusing on something else, for example sound. Play sounds of nature and listen rigorously, actively, attentively. You can download such sounds on line for example at TranscendentalTones.

I understand that being constantly hungry must be awful, but why do I never see articles about people who dislike food and have trouble consuming enough calories to meet the body's requirements. I have to choke down almost everything I eat and tend to stop as soon as the worst of the hunger pains go away. I'm not anorexic; just barely at a reasonable weight for my height, but it's hard.

The one doctor who admitted that extreme hunger pains are caused by classes of illegally perscribed mental health drugs, and spoke during an emergency ward visit – outpatient, did not elaborate on why and criminal ingredients and that they aren't effective anyway for anything, etc, etc.that was part of my forensic investigation to tear apart and prove in many different ways from many angles. also from others that had to take those. but there were many other doctor's practices and involvements and medications and lab activity and the related hospital activity that i gathered conclusive data about. also into the veterinary care and including farm animal care. theresa noelle younan ymma-iii i-pic interpole galactica younan research management i-pic. what bothers me is that political people (members of political parties) are working in hospital meeting rooms to mess up others and visiting their doctors to sabotage their services.

I recomend you eat cashews, almonds and nuts. They are high in protein and will keep you from feeling hungry. Granted nuts aren't as tasty as junk food (chips, pizza, greasy burger) but they are healthy in keeping your digestive system in check. đź™‚ Good luck in losing weight.

The biggest flaw with dieting and the problem of hunger is that people try and eat nothing but low-fat/fat-free foods simply because they're higher in calories. THAT is why dieters are always hungry. Dieters would be 10x better off by eating a chicken quarter with crispy skin, than by eating the lean skinless breast. Balance it with whole foods like steamed or sauteed veggies, with a bit of fruit for dessert, and you've got a healthy, balanced meal, and will FEEL FULL.

Calories in/calories out has been debunked. One can easily eat 2K calories a day and still lose weight, as long as they eat the RIGHT KIND of foods. Whole foods, without artificial ingredients, is the key to weight loss. Thinking you're going to drop the pounds by eating sugary Fiber One bars, protein shakes and salads with high-calorie/high sodium dressings is a fool's dream.

The low-fat craze that everyone's been on since the 80's has backfired in a big way (pun intended).

Calories in/calories out hasn't been debunked. People can lose weight just as easily on 1200 calories with of Twinkies and soda than on 1200 calories of veggies and grilled fish. If you reduce calories, while still meeting your minimum intake needs so that your body doesn't think it's starving, you'll lose weight. The source of your calories doesn't matter.

What DOES matter is the quality of your diet over the long term. Yes, you'll stay skinny on Twinkies and soda, but your blood sugar levels may become elevated, and you may develop all sorts of unpleasant conditions from lack of necessary vitamins and nutrients.

The majority of conventional food is processed and delivers empty calories, i.e. calories void of nutritional value. Eating empty calories cause a craving for more food than our body can effectively digest. These excess calories settle in our bodies as pounds and ponds of fat.

The answer to overeating and cravings is not in the hunger-suppression pill. Instead, you need to listen to your body. The way to eliminate cravings, including the late night cravings, is to eat whole foods that are rich in vitamins, minerals and unprocessed mono-saturate and poly-saturated oils throughout the day.

Also, you need to reprogram your mind and develop new habits that will allow you to deal with stress and emotional upsets of life in new ways, ways that do not involve eating. To read more: http://bit.ly/fVgoY3

Healthy nutrition is a science and art. It is an art of listening to your body and loving yourself enough to enjoy that which will make you healthy and happy in the long run. Your body is changing cells constantlyâ€¦ this very moment, as you are reading these words, old cells die and new are created. As you nourish your body with fresh whole foods, it rebuilds itself into a beautiful, healthy, new you.

I wouldn't focus so much on diet as getting out and moving more. Exercise more, sleep more, and set goals. Maybe sign yourself up for a 5k race and work towards that. Have a friend or a family member do it with you. Surround yourself with people that are working towards a common goal. In my humble, non professional opinion getting rid of high calorie high sugar drinks such as coffee, alcoholic , or juices can totally help. Stick to water and low fat milk. Also, eat something for breakfast, I find if I eat something healthy for breakfast, like a bowl cereal with fruit I make better food choices through out the day. I am not an expert but I am a runner and a Mom who had to lose baby weight and these things have helped me. I guess I would say make a plan, have some help and when necessary dig deep for self discipline. Is this doughnut going to help me reach my goal? Is this 3rd piece of pizza going to help me fit into my old jeans? If the answer is no, put it down and walk away. You'll be so proud of yourself and one step closer to your goal.

I've had this problem for two years. I lost 40 pounds in the last year. Adding in more lean protein didn't help. I'm a vegetarian, so a lot of my protein is also starchy, and I'm conservative with that. I recently found out about shirataki noodles. They're a little weird in the texture department, but if you prepare them exactly as the manufacturer suggests (Miracle Noddle), they're not bad. They are very fillling, all soluble fiber, zero calories. Yes, zero calories. It's working great for my hunger problem!

Let's be realistic here, if you are over the age of 30 particularly if you are a female you have to be hungry in order to lose and maintain a good weight. In my 20's I could just work out and eat literally whatever I wanted. Nowadays I am past 30 and I work out 7 days a week am constantly hungry and can barely lose an ounce, although I do maintain my weight. Whiel these tips are great, I think they are unrelastic and they don't work! I've tried them all more than once and it makes no difference. The truth about dieting is that you are going to be hungry! Sorry to break this to you.

Its a sad fact that people who are fat know EVERYTHING there is to know about diet and nutrition...because they are constantly in search of ways to be "normal". And people who diet contstantly, end up being fatter in the end. Starving yourself temporarily will not keep you thin for you whole life. who can spend years in a constant state of hunger? No one. That is why most drastic weight loss if gained back eventually plus more. Low fat, low calorie diets are cruel and impossible to stay on.

What we eat will often determine how soon we'll be hungry again. The article makes an excellent point, for example, about getting calories through mostly solid foods, not drinks. A Starbucks frappuccino has as many calories as a cheeseburger, but it goes down without chewing in a few seconds, and half an hour later, you'll be in line at McD to get the cheeseburger because you are hungry again.
Also refined carbohydrates are digested much quicker than proteins and fiber, so the stomach empties quickly and you are hungry again in a short time. And this doesn't even count the effect of the insulin spike and slump.
Bottom line, people need to stop eating mindlessly, they need to learn to listen to their bodies, recognize the difference between hunger and boredom, or hunger and craving, and educate themselves about the macronutrients and calories content in what they eat.

It's the same old same old from the nutrition community ... eat lots of refined carbs, and wash them down with sugar water and fizz ... but now you do it while consuming fiber, chewing your food, and cutting the oils. In fact, if you cut out the carbs and suger, you can eat everything else (including lots of oils) and you won't be hungry or fat. Atkins basically had it right. Read Gary Taubs book Good Calories Bad Calories.

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